Located in Lake County, California, George C Hoberg Vista Point is a scenic viewpoint at about 429 m (1,407 ft) above sea level. The nearest town is Lakeport, about 1.1 km (0.7 mi) away (George C Hoberg Vista Point lies SSW of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At George C Hoberg Vista Point the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:16 AM | 90° E | 7:24 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:47 AM | 59° ENE | 8:42 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 55m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:00 AM | 89° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:28 AM | 120° ESE | 4:53 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 25m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Overlooks are about the sweep of the land, so low-angle light matters most: side-light at sunrise or sunset reveals ridges and texture that midday sun flattens.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:00 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:10 AM | 4:33 PM | 5:14 PM | 5:43 PM | 9h 44m |
| February | 6:37 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:41 AM | 5:12 PM | 5:49 PM | 6:17 PM | 10h 45m |
| March | 6:57 AM | 7:24 AM | 7:59 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:46 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:08 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:49 PM | 8:17 PM | 13h 13m |
| May | 5:30 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:48 PM | 14h 18m |
| June | 5:14 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:26 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:40 PM | 9:12 PM | 14h 54m |
| July | 5:28 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:38 PM | 9:09 PM | 14h 39m |
| August | 5:57 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:37 PM | 13h 42m |
| September | 6:27 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:29 AM | 6:46 PM | 7:22 PM | 7:48 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:55 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:58 AM | 5:58 PM | 6:34 PM | 7:01 PM | 11h 13m |
| November | 6:27 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:35 AM | 4:19 PM | 4:59 PM | 5:27 PM | 10h 03m |
| December | 6:54 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:06 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:51 PM | 5:21 PM | 9h 27m |
Local time (America/Los Angeles), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From George C Hoberg Vista Point, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 22° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:19 AM – 5:29 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:28 AM – 5:48 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:24 AM – 4:54 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:26 AM – 4:06 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:39 PM – 3:39 AM | 5.0 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:32 PM – 2:22 AM | 3.8 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:48 PM – 12:18 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:53 PM – 10:13 PM | 1.3 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:03 PM – 8:13 PM | 0.2 | 12° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.24 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 10% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (58%). July is the warmest month and December the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 72 | 72 | 79 | 90 | 103 | 111 | 116 | 113 | 110 | 102 | 88 | 72 |
| Low °F | 24 | 25 | 27 | 29 | 35 | 40 | 52 | 51 | 42 | 35 | 24 | 21 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.8 | 5.3 | 3.9 | 2.0 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 1.4 | 3.2 | 6.6 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this scenic viewpoint
- Haze builds in summer afternoons; mornings after a cold front are often the clearest.
- Stay behind barriers — many overlook edges are undercut or crumbly.
- A panorama of 3–5 vertical frames gives more resolution and a wider view without a fisheye look.
- Blue hour after sunset is excellent for towns or roads below the viewpoint as lights come on.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
Season: Clear, dry air in autumn and after winter storms gives the longest views; summer adds wildflowers but also haze.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Telephoto lens, Graduated ND filter, Headlamp. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of George C Hoberg Vista Point, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph George C Hoberg Vista Point?
What time is golden hour at George C Hoberg Vista Point?
Where does the sun rise and set at George C Hoberg Vista Point?
Can you see the Milky Way from George C Hoberg Vista Point?
Do you need a permit to photograph at George C Hoberg Vista Point?
How far is George C Hoberg Vista Point from Lakeport?
Sources
Location data: USGS GNIS / GeoNames. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.